Garment-stay.



F. L. 0. WADSWORTH.

GARMENT STAY.

Patented Aug. 11, 1914:.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK L. O. WADSWORTH, OF SEWIOKLEY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MES-NE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THESPIRELLA COMIANY, OF MELADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, A

CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

GARMENT-STAY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 11, 1914.

Application filed July 17, 1912. Serial No. 710,007.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK L, O. VVAnswon'rrr, a resident of Sewickley, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Garment-Stays, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the construction of stays or stifi'eners for corsets and other garments or wearing apparel.

The object of the invention is to provide a stay possessing greater stiffness and resiliency for a given weight of wire than stays as heretofore constructed.

Generally stated, the invention consists in constructing the stay in the form of a flat wire spring composed of a plural wire strand or strands, such plural wire strand or strands being formed into a series of loops, eyes or convolutions and portions of said strand or strands being twisted,

In the accompanylng drawlngs, Figures 1, 2 and 3 illustrate different forms of stays embodying the invention; Fig. 4 is a trans-v verse section on the line 4Lt, Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55, Fig. 1.

In the fabrication of thestay instead of using a single wire as a strand, as heretofore, I make use of a strand or strands composed of a plural number of wires, the drawings showing a strand 1 composed of three wires a, b and 0, although any desired number of wires may be used for the strand. For a given size and strength of stay, each of the several wires composing a plural wire strand will, of course, be lighter and of less cross sectional size than when a single wire is employed for the strand as heretofore. The stay can be formed of either one or any desired number of such plural wire strands. Fig. 1 shows a single plural wire strand 1 bent alternately back and forth to form two series of oppositely disposed loops or eyes 2 with transverse portions or crossings 3 substantially normal to the longitudinal aXis of the stay. Fig. 2 shows a stay also formed from a single plural wire strand bent alternately back and forth to form the two series of oppositely disposed loops or eyes, but which in this case are of bulbous or general pear shape so that the edges of adjacent loops or eyes overlap, as at 4, the crossings 3 in this case being reversely bent or of general S-shape. Fig. 3 shows a stay comin one strand bridge the spaces between I loops or eyes in the other strand, ad acent ping, as shown.

twisted together the other.

cording to my application Serial posed of two plural wire strands 1 and 1, each bent alternately in opposite directions to formtwo series of oppositely disposed eyes 2, and in which the two wires are interlaced 111 such manner that the loops or eyes the loops or eyes in the stay structure overlap- 7 Many other forms of stays can be constructed from one or more plural 3 wire strands, and the invention is not limltcd as to the number of such plural wire strands used 1n the fabrication of the stay.

The stays illustrated are flat wire springs.

'They preferably will be slightly concave, that is, the transverse 8 are slightly deflected out of the flat plane of the stay, Fig. 1, so that the stay as a whole has a The effect of .this is to render the stay stiffer and also 5 cause it to fit more neatly to the contour of portions or crossings toward one side, as shown in slight transverse curvature.

the body.

The wires constituting a strand may be in any suitable way. Preferably, however, the strand as a whole will be twisted in those portions forming the crossings 3, and twisted in such direction that the twist. in all of the crossings, viewing the stay as a whole, runs in the same direction. The effect of this is to render the stay stiffer against stresses tending to flex it in one flatwise direction as compared with The twist in these crossings can be placed therein in any manner and can be readily effected in the fabrication of the stay in various ways, one manner being acho. 728,277, filed October 28, 1912. The twists are carried beyond the elastic limit of the metal so that the several crossings of the completed stay are under an initial twist or torsional set.

It is well known that if a wire or rod has been twisted in one direction beyond the elastic limit of the metal, it resists stresses tending to twist it in the same direction to a greater degree than it resists stresses tending to twist it in the opposite direction.

Therefore, by imparting to the several cross-v ings an initial twist or torsional set beyond the elastic limit of the metal, it is obvious that a flexure of the stay in the direction tending to twist the several crossings in the resistance than a fiexure of the stay inthe opposite direction. Consequently, the stay is stiffer in one flatwise direction than in the other. The permanent set or twist imparted to the wire strands also increases the elasticity or resiliency of the metal and thereby enables the stay to resist taking a permanent set much better than when the wire has no such. initial twist or torsional set. The twisting of the wires to impart the permanent set thereto also has the effect of tying or binding together the wires forming each strand, so that there isno liability of the wires of a strand becoming displaced or separated from each other.

The twists in the several crossings run in such direction as to give the increased stiffness and resiliency when the stay is flexed with its concave side on the outside of the;

spring composed of a plural wire strand curve, so that the concavity reinforces or assists the torsional set or twist. The stays are so placed in the garmentthat the concave side thereof is inward or toward the body "of the wearer. Consequently, the

stays most effectively take care of the I stay is due to the fact that the wires them-, '1 in all said crossings running in the same d1- ;rect1on.

stresses to which garment stays are sub jected in actual use. This enables the stay to be either formed of lighter wire than similar stays as heretofore constructed, or if formed of wire of the same size orweight,

-,spring composed of a plural wire strand or strands bent to form a series of oppositely disposed loops with the sides of contiguous iloops overlapping, the transverse portions will produce a stay which is much stronger,

stiffer and more resilient than if constructed as heretofore. 1

Another advantage of a plural wire strand selves being of smaller cross section than if the stay were constructed of a single wire strand, such wires will not take a permanent v spring composed of a plural, wire strand or set or bend as readily as the single larger wire, that is, the strandv can be bent to a much sharper angle without taking a permanent set than if it were formed of a single wire of the necessary strength and stiifness. Still another advantage is that the stay can be much more readily fabricated by reason of the greater ease with which small sized wires can be bent and manipulated.

That I claim is 1. A garment stay comprising a fiat wire 5 spring composed of a plural wire-strand or strands formed into a series of loops, portions of said strand or strands being under an nitial twist or torsional set running in the same direction incorrespoiiding parts of the stay. I 2. A garmentstay comprising a fiat wire spring composed ofa plural wire strand or strands formed into a series of loops, portions of said strand or strands being under an initial tw1st or torsional set runn ng in the same direct on in corresponding parts of the stay, said stay being of slightly concaved form in cross section.

3. A garment stay comprising a fiat wire spring composed of a plural wire strand formed into oppositely disposed loops with transverse connecting portions or crossings extending from edge to edge of the stay, said transverse portions or crossings being under an initial twist or torsional set, the twist in all said crossings running in the same direction.

4:. A garment stay comprising a flat wire formed into oppositely disposed loops with transverse connecting portions or crossings extending from edge to edge of the stay, said I transverse portions or crossings being under an initial twist or torsional set, the twist in 1 all said crossings running in the same direc ;tion, said transverse portions or crossings being deflected sidewise out of the plane of the stay.

5. A garment stay comprising aflat wire or crossings being initially twisted, the twist 1 6. A garment stay comprising a flat wire istrands bent to form a series'of oppositely T'disposed loops ]O1I1ed by transverse por- @tions orcrossings, said crossings being flectedtoward one side out of the'plane of ;the stay, and being initially twisted, the ';twist in'all said orossingsrunning in the %same direction.

i In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

F ANK L. O. WADSWORTH.

Witnesses ELBERT L. HYDE,

MARY E. OAHooN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five centsi each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, I). G. 

